Atonement
by 2SkyGhost
Summary: Instead of Danny's ghost half fixating on the protection of everything he holds dear, revenge becomes his heart. Battling his ghost instincts he is dragged into a world kicking and screaming of which he wants out. AU. Revelation fic. Character death.
1. Mistake of mine

**A/N: Not sure if anyone will recognise the title or not. If anyone does I'd like to make it clear that I deleted the old story and this is basically a re-write. I felt the old one was extremely weak and _needed_ improving. Hence this. Saying this there is always room for improvement especially in this redux. Many of these scenes were written months ago and sat around stagnantly till I finally forced myself to stitch them together. Anyway hope you readers enjoy.****  
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**Also take note that this story may not continue at all.  
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* * *

Slumber is an escape; an almost eternal escape from the harsh road of reality. Time passes unknowingly to the subjected. No need to worry about the outside world as it continues by, being blissfully unaware. No need to experience the pain of emotions. No need to experience the drag of life. Sleep is the ultimate refuge. Yet, even though it seems like an eternity it is in fact not. Everyone wakes up to reality eventually.

A raven haired teen of fourteen shifted uneasily as another chill was sent through his body. He shivered uncontrollably as though he'd been immersed in icy water and left to battle the howling winds of the arctic. Pain pricked through his body. It was like his cells had formed ice crystals overnight and it was their grotesque splintering that fuelled his fear.

He bit his lip drawing blood. It's iron taste burst on his tongue. He wanted it to stop. He just didn't want to feel anything anymore. The moment he awoke he begged to return to the refuge of nothing so that he wouldn't be plagued by reality anymore.

But reality is unkind. For an unnaturally long ten minutes he writhed with pain. Never once did it ease in intensity until the shudders abruptly stopped. He sucked in a deep breath between punctured lips as though he hadn't through the entire seizure. Icy vapour escaped in the exhale.

Peeking from underneath the covers he suddenly found the landscape of his room depressing. Everywhere around him he found the truth. A truth he didn't want to believe in. Its presence became so pressing. It was the first time he found his room, his supposed refuge, claustrophobic. He couldn't take it any longer. He needed to get out.

With his mind no longer being clouded his dry throat cried out for attention. It was as though he hadn't drunk anything in days; which was partially true. For two whole days since the accident he hadn't ingested anything. Not out of choice. His body wouldn't let him keep anything down even though it desperately needed nourishment. At this rate it was only a matter of time before his body started breaking apart more than it already was.

The teen tried to swallow some saliva in a hope it would moisten his severely parched throat. But it was to no avail. The only solution he decided was to try his luck again. It'd be a good enough excuse to get out of the hell that was his room.

Mustering up what little strength he had left in his aching muscles he slowly wriggled free from the covers. With groggy eyes he sat on the edge of his bed letting the dizzy sensation which had become the norm settle. Was there no refuge in this world? Why did everything have to hurt?

He clenched his fists in frustration scrunching the sheets beneath his grip. Much to his surprise they crackled with movement sounding similar to snow underfoot. He gazed at the sheets with opaque cobalt eyes to discover a thin layer of frost had formed where he'd been lying.

The raven haired teen sighed in despair before tentatively rising to his feet. Joints made sickening crunching noises as they freed up from ice. Each weary stride a new sting to his will. At any point he felt as though his legs would collapse underneath him. Even with the support of the rail going down the stairs he was forced to stop and rest before continuing on. He hoped like hell this drink of water was worth every pained step. If it wasn't, he didn't know what else to do.

He reached the kitchen sink collapsing against the bench to rest. His lungs heaved as though he'd run a marathon. With shaking hands he reached out for the closest glass griping it as best he could. He watched between half closed eyelids as the crystal liquid flowed into the glass.

Attempting to control his shaking hands he brought the glass to his bloody lips relishing in the sensation as it soothed his parched throat. Time seemed to slow as he felt relief trickle into his body. Never had a glass of tap water felt so good. He paused relishing the feeling as it moistened his once dry throat. There is refuge out there after all.

His uncontrollable shuddering gradually faded as he eased. Danny sighed in relief before taking another sip. It wasn't until the water reached his stomach did it turn. Like an instant chemical reaction it flared up. He hunched over the sink and let it release. So much for trying his luck. His stomach still refused to take anything.

Wiping his chin clean he whimpered like an injured puppy. That swirling feeling deep in his gut remained. He rinsed his soiled hand under the tap groggily going through the motions with unfocused eyes until... _Green._ The colour finally registered despite his stunted thoughts. Instantly his eyes snapped to the viscous green goo that smeared his hand. His heart skipped a beat. He'd been around his ghost-crazy parents long enough to know what ectoplasm looked like.

In a panic he flushed the slime down the drain. Even as the last drop disappeared its foul taste remained. Bitter, like taking a tablespoon of bi-carbonate soda, he found himself believing he'd be unable to taste anything else again.

* * *

"Hey Madds can you hand me the plasma cutter?" he heard his father's voice muffled behind a mask.

As Danny finally reached level ground his eyes were assaulted by a bright white hot light. He squinted and covered his eyes. No matter how tempting it was to see what was going on he knew it would be useless. The cutting flame was simply too bright. It assaulted his sensitised eyes.

Why did he even come down here? After remaining near the sink in fear of being sick again odd sounds emanating from beneath his feet proved to be a too effective lure. Sure the sounds hadn't been anything new. He'd gotten used to them over the last year when his parents began building the prototype portal. Yet something invisible drew his curiosity to the underground lab landing him to the corner he was in now.

Suddenly another coughing fit revibrated through his body. The boy tried to calm its unexpected flare up but he was reduced to letting it take its course. Eventually the coughs came to a close and it was then he noticed the bright light had disappeared too.

A voice suddenly spoke from his side, his mother's. He twitched. How did she approach him without noticing? "Danny what are you doing out of bed. You're still sick" she said brushing his bangs back from his eyes.

Sick? He felt like he was dying. And that wasn't an exaggeration. "It's okay Mom I'm feeling better." _Liar_.

She kissed him on the forehead in affection before returning the bench she was working at. "Well don't be too eager. You could just as easily get worse."

"Yeah" he mumbled a reply wiping the spot his mother had pecked.

"So what are you down here for son? Come to check out the Ghost Portal?" Danny looked at his father who had lifted his protective mask. Truth to be told it wasn't the real reason at all. The teen nodded.

"Ha! I knew you were interested in ghosts. It's in the Fenton blood. Hey son we're just finishing off the gate", he bellowed slapping the side of the machine, "We can't have those dangerous ectoplasmic life forms coming and going as they please with it actually working now."

A heart dropping thought crossed Danny's mind. "Ermm, what do you mean working now?"

Jack was humoured by such a noticeable answer to the question. "Isn't it obvious? It wasn't working before, but now it is", expressing his excitement by practically yelling the last four words.

Danny winced as the truth slapped him in the face again. He couldn't try to deny it any longer. No matter how much he wished it was just a nightmare the heartless fact remained. It _had_ happened. The reason for his illness caused by a stupid mistake. A mistake with the portal which nearly took his life at that moment in front of his friends. Even now, two days since the accident, he felt it still wanting to take his life.

In the background Danny vaguely listened to his father continue. He went on about a 'charging effect' which was what delayed the portal's activation. The teen bit the inside of his already shredded lips. He knew the real reason. He had been the one who turned it on. Guilt fueled, his stomach protested again. It was at that point the teen knew he was pushing the boundaries.

"I'll be in my room", he self excused and fled the lab hoping his parents would notice his pained steps. He wasn't going to return to his room though. He never was. Going back would only cause the anxiety to close in again. As he finally left the green glow of the portal he noticed the entire time he was down there he hadn't even glanced at the portal. Not once.

* * *

The teen looked at his feet downcast. He didn't have the will to look straight anymore. It wasn't worth the effort. Nothing was. Why did he even come out here? To escape from the pressure of anxiety inside? No, it was more than that. He shouldn't belong. He _couldn't_ belong to a family of ghost hunters; that was the truth he knew. If his place wasn't here well then where was he to go? Who would accept a _freak_ let alone a sick teen suffering from a _freak_ accident?

Too many questions and not enough answers. Even if he had to leave he couldn't bring himself around to leave his family. As strange as the thought came it would only be too selfish. This new choice was too unsettling to act on now. Look at where his last brash decision had crash landed him.

As Danny shifted his feet to return inside they brushed against something. He focused on the small object he had sent tumbling. It was a grey pebble - nothing out of the ordinary. Just plain old gray.

What it was doing on the steps he did not know. Without really thinking he kicked the pebble again only to be surprised when it landed with a splash instead of the normal clack across concrete. When did it rain? The teen looked down at the rippling surface of the puddle. Gradually it returned to glass revealing in clarity a reflection of the newly star lit sky. A whimsical streak of colour still just visible on the horizon.

Even though the image was merely a copy it still captivated him all the same. It always did. It was an ever present instinctual yearning. The longer Danny stared into the reflection the more his mind became clouded. Like a fuzzy welcoming numbness he slowly lost awareness of his surroundings. It almost felt like he falling into a sleep after being deprived for days.

The sky darkened, stars glinted, the moon shifted phase. It was then that he realised what he was seeing wasn't the present. It was a mirror - a mirror of a memory.

_Night air had started to roll in. With the sun nestled bellow the horizon, orange light fading, the deepest of blue took its place. The only light now cast from the lamps of Amity Park and a cool wash from the full moon. Peaceful and still, it's a pristine clear night - a night of dreams for six year old Daniel._

_He reaches for the moon as he climbs to the peak of the swing. He tries to grasp the sphere and soak up its white aura. But of course it slips before his eyes. He is not disappointed though. He knows its body lays thousands of miles away, unreachable by hand. It doesn't stop him from dreaming though. Dreams are there to be made. Dreams are meant to be chased._

_He continues to swing higher yet still keeps his gaze fixed upon his goal. Maybe if he swung high enough he could reach it one day._

_"Mommy", he said gaining her attention, "Do you think I can be an astronaut?"_

_The question had been so sudden, so unexpected, for a moment she faltered forgetting to propel herself on the swing seat. She knew very well of her young sons fixation with space; a wild dream that kids had. But somehow she knew it was more than that. Somehow she knew it was everything he was for. Yet she also knew there was more to life than this. After all becoming an astronaut was not something easily obtained. How would it feel to pour your entire soul into something that would never come through? She didn't want her son to feel disappointed if things didn't turn out like he dreamed._

_She wanted to tell her son the truth that the world doesn't always work out like you want it to. She wanted to tell him that things could change and that the unexpected can happen. She wanted to but couldn't. Those innocent crystal blue eyes of his wouldn't allow her._

_"Sure thing honey. You can be whatever you want to be." It hurt to lie to her son like that giving him false hope. But perhaps a little encouragement was all he needed to make it._

_At his mother's words he brimmed with excitement and continued to gaze at the stars._

_She secretly envied children. So new to the world they could dream freely without fearing failure like she did. Every day she worried that chasing down answers to the paranormal would lead to a broken path. A path so close to the goal yet impossible to traverse. And with the dream in sight it would forever taunt her for not being able to reach it. Yet children did not have to fear this. They were lucky. They were free._

He was not a child anymore though. Danny had come to realise that his path was now shattered and he was left lost not sure where to go. What was he to do now? He didn't have a purpose or goal in life anymore. He now feared the impossible dream.

Danny closed his eyes fighting back the moisture welling in his eyes. He couldn't break down now. Not here.

A sudden trill of the door bell stoped the tears. He blinked furiously beating them back into place. No doubt his eyes would be puffy. _Great_. Just what he wanted – people to know he was crying and start questioning why.

Rubbing his eyes in an attempt to mask the evidence he consciously hoped his parents would hear the bell and answer it themselves. Yet they did not come. After the third barrage it was obvious they wouldn't.

Danny took a deep breath to compose himself. He would make this quick, and if need be, blunt. The teen reluctantly returned inside wishing that at the last minute someone else would do this. For a moment he was even tempted to walk straight past and up to his room. After all he could lie to his parents and play blissfully ignorant.

But that train of thought was suddenly shattered as the bell rang again. _Geez_, Danny thought. Whoever this visitor was they were either annoyingly persistent or actually knew the Fenton's were home.

Danny wrestled down his fears into submission and reached for the handle. It opened with an eerie click that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. He glanced between the partially open door taking care to angle his sight away.

"Danny just open the door already. Stop being a recluse." That voice. He recognised it.

Obediently he did as it ordered him. "Sam", he uttered bordering as a question.

"And me", another familiar voice jumped in.

The teen gently shook his head in confusion. Why did he have the feeling he should have known they were coming. How could he have forgotten?

* * *

That momentary loss in memory still plagued him even after the trio had retired to Danny's room. Was he beginning to lose his memory now too? Like things weren't already puzzling enough.

Danny slumped on his desk chair in silence internally musing over events. His look of deep concentration was soon noticed.

"Hey Danny... are you in there?" Tucker asked waving a hand in front of his friend's face.

Danny made a slight gasp as he was dragged back to the real world to discover both his friends staring at him concerned. He shifted uneasily wrapping his arms tighter around his legs curled up in front of him.

"Erm... yeah" he replied, the unusually long gap between words obviously giving away his doubt.

"I don't mean to be a heart breaker here..." Sam said as she approached him, "but you look horrible."

"Thanks", he grumbled in disdain.

"No. I mean you look worse than before. But I don't know if it's because you're sick or you're mentally beating yourself up." She eyed him sternly.

"This isn't the end of the world", Tucker added in, after reading where Sam was going with this.

"Exactly. You just got to have a positive outlook. I know that may sound hard to believe coming from a Goth but it's the truth. And you need to hear it. You will get better, whether it's sooner or later."

She knelt down with her hands on his shoulders so she could look at him, violet eyes to blue. "Just promise me one thing; Protect."

A look of confusion washed across his face. "Protect?"

"Yes", she exaggerated by shaking his shoulders gently, "Protect what is dear to you. Protect your dreams."

In his mind Sam's last words seemed to echo; like a welcoming order that seemed to fill an essential part of him which was missing. As her words revibrated with growing intensity he could almost feel it etching into the void. This once empty void, could it have been what had left him feeling so lost and without purpose? An overwhelming sensation of cold told him _yes_.

Sam suddenly reeled back in shock; vacant green eyes stared back at her.

"Protect", he uttered so unemotionally it sounded like a programmed response. It was almost as though he were hypnotised.

It was then that Sam noticed the biting cold underneath her hands. "Danny?" she tested.

He didn't respond.

"Danny... you're starting to freak me out." Her uneasiness started to have a similar effect on Tucker.

"Protect", he begun to repeat so softly it was almost inaudible. "Protect... Protect... P-" Before he could form the word in his mouth again he was stopped with a blow to the side of his head.

The slap never meant to hurt but the sound it made shot through the air leaving behind an awkward silence. The tension between the teens was the most painful part.

"Danny! I'm so sorry" Sam apologised gently resting his head between her hands. She tilted it up and was relieved to see his crystal blue eyes returned. "I'm sorry. It was the only thing I could think of."

Danny stumbled for words unable to express his insecurity at what he'd just experienced. "I – It's okay" he finally spoke shaking her off.

"Dude what was that about?" Tucker's question seemed to cut in like a knife. It hit a nerve he was not quite sure about yet. He hated to admit it; but he was more frightened now than almost losing his life in the accident two days ago. It scared him to his core for two reasons. One; it was clear the symptoms were getting worse, much worse. And two, and certainly the most sinister; he actually enjoyed it. For the brief time he was transfixed it felt as though he obtained what he'd been needing; a purpose.

"I don't know", he tried to sound reassuring while breaking from the Goths grip. "I guess I was spacing out that's all."

"You were doing more than spacing out. Your eyes were green like the first time."

Sam jumped in, "Have you tried getting help from your parents? They are the ghost experts after all. Maybe they might help fix your condition."

The teen in question grumbled at the thought. "I have thought about it. They still think I have the flu. But...", he trailed off.

"But what?"

"Well... I just have this feeling they'll take the opportunity to help themselves first, second me. Their research is everything to them. I'd end up being another study."

Both friends gaped in disbelief. "You can't be serious Danny. Do you actually believe they'll choose stupid research over their own son? I can't believe you would even consider that."

The teen whispered to himself.

Even though Sam's hearing didn't pick up the words she knew what he said anyway. The uneasy way he shifted, the way he avoided direct eye contact explained it all. "You're ill and they're the only ones who can help. Why won't you even take the chance?"

It was then that his eyes shot up to meet hers. That glare...

END CHAPTER


	2. All I want is normality

**A/N: It has come to my attention that there is another (and in my opinion), better story floating around out there following similar lines as this one. The author is updating regularly and has created quite a wonderful story. I suggest you go source that one as this will be the last chapter remaining unfinished. The reason this is being discontinued is that many of the plot I had planned out from over a year ago has already been done by the other author. I don't want this to be 'copy' despite the coincidence. So I apologise to anyone who was actually reading this.**

**EDIT: I know I said this wouldn't continue but I must thank a reviewer for slapping some sense into me (you know who you are :D). After a day to mellow on it I have decided to change the plot entirely. The first chapters will remain the same so no need to go back to read again. As for the direction of the story itself; it's going to become an AU where Danny's ghost half fixates on 'revenge' instead of his 'hero' persona. I don't want to say much more except warn you there will a character death... or two. Also don't worry if the story name suddenly changes.  
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* * *

Though he hadn't meant to force his friends away so bluntly the way his subconscious took over told him it was necessary. It still didn't make him feel any better about scaring them though. Sam's reaction had been the most heart breaking. His glare had shot through the space between them like electricity. As soon as it connected she seemed genuinely frightened. They had left shortly afterwards.

The teen tried to fool himself into believing it was what was needed. He couldn't take their nagging questions anymore. He couldn't handle the truth to those yet. It was just too hard.

'_Weak'_, he stabbed.

* * *

That night he spent the time drifting between sleep and regret. Regret about the decision that led him on this path of suffering, and regret about shutting his friends away. He suspected it was mainly the latter. They were the _only_ support he could rely on in this time of instability yet he still forced them away. He had let the emotions troubling him have their way and now he had possibly hurt theirs. What kind of a friend was he?

Danny smiled weakly under the covers in the belief he would be a better friend. He swore it. But where should he start? '_Get your sick lazy butt out of bed first'_. He glanced at the digital clock next to his bed. "Yep, another late morning", he sighed.

Despite still feeling dreadful from the effects of the illness he felt compelled to do something productive. Strangely the first thought that reached his mind was the abandoned assignment sitting ready and open on his desk. Never before had he considered doing homework with a flu, let alone ectoplasm poisoning. He doubted anyone would. But he needed to do this for reasons that had recently surfaced. He wasn't doing this to catch up, though that would have been a bonus, he was doing it to feel somewhat normal again. More than anything he wanted to return to a routine if it meant he could forget about the likelihood of death for a while.

* * *

Sitting at the desk in eerie silence that anxious feeling repeatedly brushed his shoulder no matter how much he wanted to shake it, it kept returning. For a reason he could not understand, the brief moment his friends were with him, the worried feelings of loss associated with this room vanished. But now, sitting alone, he was back at the start fearing what was to come.

Danny sighed, gazing at the notes in front of him. The words wouldn't form a comprehensible single sentence. Sure he was reading them but nothing made sense. Nothing was being absorbed due to the dull ache that had begun to return. His mind was far too hazy to concentrate. The teen began chewing the end of his pen in some blind hope that it would spill all the answers, but of course nothing changed. The paper was supposed to be submitted yesterday. Now he knew he'd be on top of Mr. Lancers 'hit list' returning day one. _If_ he ever returned...

The raven haired teen rested his forehead upon the paper laden desk. He was too tired of this despite only staring vacantly at letters for the past half hour. His face contorted to a crestfallen frown. In fact he was too tired of being sick. Too tired of feeling like the world was against him. Too tired of life. And too tired to stay awake... He closed his eyes and let the exhaustion take over.

* * *

_Cold. That was the first thing he noticed. And for an unnaturally long moment that was all he could feel. Strangely this time the cold did not worry him. Tendrils reaching out from the core deep within caressed the reaches of his body. The touch so gentle it left him feeling relaxed with an unnatural tingling sensation he welcomed. Relishing the moment he gradually came to believed he could stay in this feeling for eternity._

* * *

Unfortunately the moment couldn't last forever. Already he could start to feel the nothingness slip and gradually his other senses returned. The sound of breathing rippled in his mind. And wait... was that a heartbeat. Yes it was. Danny was sure of it. Strong and rhythmic like smooth running clockwork. It surely couldn't be his own. It couldn't belong to his fragile ill form. But it couldn't be anyone else's either. Moving his hand to his chest he gradually came to realise it was in fact his own. The thump in his mind matched perfectly with that beating beneath his fingertips.

Lost in thought the teen relaxed and let his arm droop. Only instead of it returning to his side it rested upon something out of place. The mystery object was surprisingly cushioned and warm. Danny opened his bleary eyes only to be shocked with what he saw.

His arm lazily rested upon the seat of the chair he had been seated on before. The teen twisted his head to see only to be wreaked with sharp pain like someone wearing studded gloves had their tight grasp around his neck. He took in shallow breaths not daring to move his trapped neck again. Of all the awkward positions he could think of, having his neck stuck literally inside the structure of a chair, was not one that had ever occurred to him.

'_How? This... this is phasing'_, flashed through his mind. At a young age his parents had drilled everything they knew about ghosts into his memory including their abilities. So it was to no surprise this idea had been the first to leap out.

The sudden realisation struck fear and Danny began frantically scrambling trying to pull his neck free. He ignored the screaming pain in blindness, sweat beginning to drip from his forehead. It wasn't until the chair begun to lose balance and sent the bonded pair crashing to the floor did the teen stop thrashing. It wasn't because pain had become unbearable; the electrocution of three days ago had been far worse. And it wasn't the worrying afterthought that his parents may hear the commotion either. It was a far more eerie reason.

That cold sensation from within his dream had returned. He lay there letting the feeling take over every molecule of his body with vacant pupil flickering eyes. Trying to take a breath of air he found he couldn't. Not because his breathing muscles wouldn't move. Instead he found that the air simply wouldn't move. Was this what it was like to die? Were these his last moments?

As Danny remained paralysed in surrender, the world around him began to shift. The grasping tightness around his neck was the first to disappear followed by the gradual rising of his room. Light flashed out of view briefly as he sunk but when it returned again the dining room instead greeted him.

Ever so strangely he slowly drifted down from the ceiling. He wasn't freefalling, but there was also nothing physically keeping him suspended in the air. Between strangled strands of black hair the teen stared wide eyed in terror as the cold hold suddenly retreated into his core. Instantly gravity took over again and Danny plummeted to the hard tiled floor. He threw his hands out in front of him to break the fall but immediately regretted it with the sickening crunch of his right wrist.

He brought the injured limb to his chest and locked his teeth. There was no denying it. His wrist just broke. He writhed in pain wanting to scramble away from the feeling like it was a physical being, but to no avail.

After minutes of struggling the searing finally subsided to a constant tender sting. It still hurt a great deal though. Whatever self defence system kicked in had finally done its job. "Great. Something else to cover up" he hissed trying to wrangle the overwhelming stinging and frustration. Again this was something he couldn't take to his parents. They would start to question how. And it wouldn't take too long for them to realise their son was ill with ectoplasm poisoning. Then what would they do. Help him? With all fairness they should. Yet Danny couldn't shake the uneasy feeling they would rather use him as another research subject.

* * *

Danny cradled his broken wrist against his chest. There was no visible deformity so he hoped it was just a crack. Suddenly the scent of the fabric holding it in place filled his nostrils. The teen winced as the scent reminded him of the lab.

"Feeling any better?" a familiar voice questioned.

He looked up from the newly applied sling to the general direction of the person who tied it. "Yeah I suppose so Sam. It's still really sore though." The entire time he glanced uneasily around her as though it was physically impossible to maintain eye contact.

Ignoring concern with an amused smile on her face she taunted by tapping on Danny's nose with a finger. "You could at least say thanks you know. We are covering for you after all."

"Isn't that what friends are supposed to do" he assumed.

She leaned closer forcing the black haired teen to lock eyes. "Yes, but we do like to feel appreciated sometimes."

Danny swallowed nervously. Sam was the only girl he'd met that could actually terrify him with intensity. Was this perhaps payback for scaring her yesterday? He wouldn't put it past her.

The longer the two locked eyes the more Danny noticed the shift in her gaze. No longer was she trying to intimidate him. Instead she had changed to that of concentration. It was as though she was looking for something. This unfamiliar expression worried him and he pulled away unable to bear it any longer.

"Thanks for coming guys. I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have acted like that..." He forced out like a well rehearsed speech.

Tucker jumped in, "Oh it was nothing man. We know you're not feeling well and you get cranky because of it. Speaking of not feeling well, how was your day? Anything weird?"

Danny eyed him suspiciously, "Trust you to get straight to the point Tuck."

"Of course."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well I fell asleep trying to do homework."

"How is that any different to normal?" He scoffed.

"Not much different actually... but I've been having really tired moments lately. Not like 'not enough sleep tired' but like 'haven't stopped moving or eaten in weeks' tired. It's like I haven't got enough energy to anything but sleep."

Sam clicked her fingers. "Well what have you eaten lately?"

"Nothing since the accident" Danny sighed.

His friends barely caught the muted voice and it took a moment to register. "Nothing!?" Sam burst out.

"I can't keep anything down!" he snapped in equal volume. Danny took a deep breath trying to combat the chill rising in his core. He paused a brief moment before continuing at a more even tone. "Whenever I try to eat anything I can't keep it down. Heck I even vomited up water yesterday along with ectoplasm. It's not pleasant. I haven't dared try again today."

"Wait... Ectoplasm? How did that get into your stomach?"

"I don't know. Maybe it condensed there while I was in the portal."

"Well for whatever reason it's not supposed to be there. Maybe it'd be best if you got rid of it. It can't be digested by humans so you'll have to..."

"No!" Danny butted in. "I'm not doing that. It tasted so baaad."

Sam huffed. "I was actually going to suggest you get your stomach pumped. But you'll have to go to hospital for that. Which brings up the problem again of you not wanting any medical help."

"Don't mention the 'H' word" Tucker whimpered in the background.

"Anything else worth mentioning?" Sam asked getting back on topic.

Danny glanced around the room as if checking they were the only present. "I – I may have got stuck in my chair and fell through the floor."

The room fell silent until Tucker's laughter broke it. "You're serious?" he chuckled in disbelief.

Sam whipped the side of his head. It wasn't gentle but it wasn't rough either, just enough to bring him into line. "What Tucker means is: Tell us more" she strained out.

"That's it" he stated again. "I just fell through the floor... _intangible_... like a _ghost._" Both words he struggled to say steadily, like he was admitting something he wasn't yet prepared for. "I've also been having cold chills." he added as a last minute thought.

Tucker and Sam looked at each other with almost confused expressions on their face.

"Danny, how much do you remember after the accident?"

"Errr..." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Not much. Well besides the whir of the portal activating, and when I first woke up in bed with you guys watching over me. That's my earliest memory of the accident. Between them is a bit of a gap. Like... I know an accident with the portal happened. But I don't remember exactly what."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope."

"So you don't remember anything about being electrocuted? About crawling out of the Fenton Portal? About you being a ghost? About us carrying you up to your bed where you finally passed out?"

He shook his head.

"Danny..." Sam cooed "you were awake the whole time."

For the briefest moment blinding green light filled his vision. A frozen knife, so cold it burned, plunged into his chest. He took a desperate gasp. It couldn't be true. There was no way he could have been conscious and not remember such events. It just wasn't possible. But then why was there this _stabbing pain_ of... recollection?

"Let's move onto another topic", he forced through gritted teeth attempting to mask the ache in his chest. "What's happening tomorrow? Is that assignment still due?"

"Of course it's still due. You don't need to fret though. I'm sure Mr. Lancer will cut you some slack. He does know you're sick after all. As for tomorrow, there's a major test. It counts for thirty percent of our yearly grade. Ridiculous. Do teachers really expect us to sit through normal classes let alone an hour test? I don't think so..." Tucker rambled on.

"This test is fairly important isn't it?" he confirmed with Sam. "I guess I'd better be there then..." Danny trailed off downcast.

"What!? Danny, don't feel pressured into going. It's not really that important. If you're still feeling unwell don't go. I'm sure they'll understand."

"But I can't be slacking off with the year only just starti..." he was cut off by black nail polished fingers pressed against his lips.

"No more words. If you're sick don't go. You won't want me playing mother hen on you if you turn up sick tomorrow. Don't push it. Besides how are you going to hide that broken wrist of yours?" She said glaring at him.

The raven haired teen had a feeling he would regret tomorrow. There was no way he was staying home another day. Going back to school he hoped would bring peace through a routine of normal life again.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon, between vaguely talking with his friends, Danny plotted over every scenario that could turn out for the worst tomorrow. To tell the truth most outcomes had 'bad idea' written all over them. Even the more favourable ones were a little sketchy. At best he'd avoid unwanted attention from Dash but the Goth Girl remained a problem. She had that knack of knowing exactly where he was at any given time. It was almost scary to the point he thought Sam had slipped a tracking device on him at some point.

Then there was the worst case scenario. If anyone were to find out about his injured wrist it was almost like an instant white flag of surrender. The last thing he wanted was an open invitation for his parents to start 'curing' him of ectoplasm poisoning.

Thinking about the ghost hunter duo, he shivered instinctively.

At some point through the blur of hours someone must have noticed because a hand gently squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. Who it was, he did not know. Inwardly he was thankful though. Danny looked up once the hand vanished only to be surrounded by the darkness of night and tangle of bed sheets.

Through bleary eyes he forced his brain to catch up. This certainly wasn't where he was last. Not long ago he was listening to Sam and Tucker talk about school, and... what else it was he couldn't pin. The whole thing was a haze. Had he fallen asleep on them?

As best the terminally ill teen could manage he rolled out of bed partially dragging the tangled sheets along with him. _Idiot_, he grumbled. How could they forgive him now? They probably thought he was just using them. He had to apologize.

The phone. He had to call them. Slipping past the door he shuffled downstairs silently. The last step though proved to wake the dead with a creak under the pressure. Danny gritted his teeth. At this point it almost sounded like a cannon firing over his shoulder.

Finally reaching the kitchen, the only light that guided his way was subtle yellow tinted rays filtering in from the street lamps. It wasn't much but still enough to know where most obstacles laid.

'_Where is that ben...'_ Thud. His knee suddenly collided with something solid. _'...bench'_ he winced. Fumbling with the phone situated on the bench top he keyed in the first number that came to mind. "Come on Tuck" he whispered. "Please pickup."

Then the dial tone ended. Nerves began to build as Danny pondered over the situation. Tucker loved technology, there was no denying that. He always kept his phone on him because if it. So why wasn't he answering? Out of the two he was the most likely.

Realisation struck as he peered down at the little screen on the phone. Three in the morning. He face-palmed. _'Idiot'._

Out of the blue the still air shifted bringing a slight temperature change with it. Only a few degrees drop and barely noticeable yet something more sinister pulled on Danny's instincts. He would have happily dismissed it and returned to bed if it wasn't for the growing cold in his own chest.

The high pitched sound of glass clanging together like a shaking crystal chandelier caught his attention. That crash, he was sure, came from the basement.

The lab.


	3. Encounter

**A/N: Bit of a short weak chapter. To punch this out faster I'm going to shorten the length.**

* * *

In an otherwise silent house the sound of smashing glass drew his attention. It echoed much like a gunshot ringing over water making him feel like a scared animal himself. Cautiously stepping down the dimly lit stairs to the basement, he knew it was the source of the crash. The rising chill from his core confirmed it.

Perched on the last step just out of reach of the faint green glow from the portal, Danny tried to swallow but choked as a spasm hit his lungs. Involuntarily he gasped releasing a frosty vapour. The mist caressed his face sending shivers to his nerves before disappearing entirely.

In no way that was normal.

Again, another ping of shattering glass shot through the air. '_What on Earth?' _Danny stepped into the assault of the green light wincing slightly at its pulling aura. He wouldn't be able to stay down here much longer. Memories he'd rather take back were already resurfacing. It shouldn't take long anyway. Just sneak in and take a look...

As soon as he saw the creature conflicting feelings pulled at him. They were so equally strong yet opposite. He almost felt like the rope in a well matched tug of war game. He couldn't flee. But he also couldn't charge in forcing the creature away. He could do nothing but remain frozen to the spot and watch as it approached.

Slipping through the air with an unnatural ease it circled barely feet above him. So close in fact that if Danny reached out skywards with his clammy hands he could have touched the being.

Wide eyed in disbelief Danny could no longer ignore the flickering shadows cast by the creature hovering above him. If it was going to attack him he wanted to see it coming.

Gradually he tilted his head upwards. Doing so, a bead of sweat trickled down his nose and in slowed time began its long decent to the floor.

The moment it splashed against the tiles, the ectoplasmic slug stopped its purposeless circles. Danny whimpered fighting back the unexplainable urge to lunge at it. '_Go away'_ he willed.

But the malformed creature did not heed to his thoughts. Instead it sunk down to his eye level. Only a few feet away now his insides were burning with the cold. It was becoming unbearable. The need to flee was clashing with the urge to fight so strongly it was almost tearing him in half. His eyes locked onto the electric green slug. "Go away" he quietly snapped with an alien viciousness. Unexpectedly it reeled back in a flurry emitting a shriek before disappearing entirely through the swirling green membrane of the Fenton portal.

Almost instantly the arctic blizzard contained inside him dissipated and tiredness washed over. He could have sworn the creature was afraid of him. Shouldn't it be the other way around? For a while there it was the other way around. In what was the briefest of moments his 'fight' side took over and all fear evaporated.

Peering back at the portal for the last time he took a mental note to convince his parents to hurry up and finish putting a door on the damned thing.

With sluggish footsteps he returned to his room, at one point tripping on the carpet mat and falling haphazardly onto his bed.

Groggily slipping underneath the covers it finally struck him. That was a ghost!

* * *

"What are you doing up so early Dannykins?" Maddie cooed. Truthfully, he never went back to sleep again after the incident in the lab with the... ghost. The dark lines under his eyes were proof of that. Instead of remaining in bed he had come out to the kitchen close to four in the morning and sat there intently watching the passage down to the laboratory.

An open hand cut in front of his vision. "Danny?" she tested.

The teen grumbled turning to face her. "Yeah Mom?" he asked, eyes still nervously glancing at the passageway.

She smiled finally getting a response but it was quickly replaced with concern. Abruptly she placed her palm against his forehead. "Cold. Well at least it's not a fever". Her voice was laced with uncertainty.

Squatting down to his level she instinctively fiddled with his badly tussled hair. "How are you feeling today?

It was plain and simple. Inside he felt dreadful. Everything ached and it wasn't just physically like his cracked wrist.

Maddie moved aside another strand of hair covering his eyes. Danny hated it when she treated him like this; like a child. It was as though she worked a spell over him that only mothers could do. He wanted to blurt out his deepest secrets and anxieties. He wanted to offload all these problems right here, right now. But the fear itself that he wanted to offload stopped him. _What would they think of their son?_

"I'm feeling better" he lied. "And I'm going to school too." Abruptly he rose from his seat and started heading up stairs leaving his mother confused with the sudden energetic outburst.

* * *

On the way out the door his mother had slipped him a slice of toast. Somehow she knew he hadn't eaten anything for breakfast. Either that or it was a guess which had turned out true. Trudging down the streets of Amity Park with the slice in his hand he wanted to toss it away. He wasn't hungry and surely didn't like toast at all. But his mother had given it to him. She had actually cared. Danny took a bite to satisfy her.

_'There. Done. You happy now?'_ he thought dropping the partly eaten slice into one of the trash cans lining the roadside.

The teen glanced at his wrist watch. If he didn't pick up pace he'd be late. Putting on a burst of speed as best he could manage, he continued to head in the direction of Casper High alone.

* * *

On the thinnest of time he had arrived at the school grounds. Skipping cramming his bag in the locker he went straight to home group. Despite his best efforts Danny couldn't help but dread this next part. For starters the jock Dash was there. Just his mere name was enough reason. And then there was his friend Sam, who had warned him only the day before not to come. School itself wasn't the problem; it was the people there that set him on edge.

Hoping to slink inside unnoticed it was to no avail. Of course it was. What hope did he have sneaking into a class with twenty five plus pair of eyes?

"I'm surprised to see you've joined us in the land of the living Mr. Fenton. I'll want to talk to you afterwards" the pot bellied faculty declared before returning to calling out names on the roll.

The teen rolled his eyes in annoyance before settling them upon who was quite possibly his worst nightmare at this point. She glared at him so strongly words were not needed. _You shouldn't have come._

Taking a nervous gulp of air he sat down next to Tucker using him as a human shield before resting his right arm on the table. At least now he could take some of the pressure off the cracked bone.

"You idiot" a voice jested.

Danny glanced at the source. "Yeah... yeah I know, Tuck" he sighed keeping his voice low enough so as not to draw attention.

"So" he started "feeling any better?"

The black haired teen paused. This was twice today he'd been asked the same question. But this time he wasn't going to lie. He shook his head in the universal 'no'.

Tucker pulled back from his lean in disappointment.

_'Truth hurts'_ Danny commented to himself.

* * *

Finally the end of session bell rang and every student except the ill teen rushed into the crowded hallways heading to their next classes. Watching the backs of his friends disappear through the doorway he heaved a sigh. In no way was he ready to have a one-on-one 'talk' with anyone bar the people he trusted most.

"Glad to see you well enough to attend class. No need to worry. Your parents informed me about your flu."

Danny glared at the doorway ready to flee at a moment's notice.

"Come over here" the teacher ushered before pulling out a plastic slip of papers "these are notes from what you missed. Nothing drastically new but it is material you should read up on."

Automatically reaching for the notes with his right hand he regretted it as the stinging returned tenfold. Well there was no going back now. If he swapped hands it would only draw attention._ 'Idiot'_ he hissed to himself glancing at Mr. Lancer. The teacher's expression displayed that of curiosity but it quickly changed to content as Danny resisted the urge to withdraw and shakily grasped the notes.

Leaning back in his chair he smirked seemingly oblivious to the teens strained behaviour. "Now for the good news, which I'm sure is, as far as you're concerned. You won't be taking the English assessment today. It's not expected of you after just recovering."

Danny opened his mouth to argue but instead faltered accepting this news. The test was part of the reason he came today. And now it wasn't 'expected' of him? Fate had yet again singled him out of the routine.

"Sure thing Mr. Lancer..."

"Better run along then. I believe you have Chemistry"

* * *

"Oh come on Danny. If you're going to make the effort to be here you might as well try to enjoy it. Even if it is school" Tucker deadpanned on the last sentence.

"Mhmm" the black haired teen mumbled rolling a pencil on the bench barely noticing his insistent friend.

Tucker folded him arms in defeat watching the pencil's movements. "What got you on the dumps? You were so determined to turn up to school today. Now look at you"

"Nothing" he sighed. "Nothing you can understand"

Snatching the pencil in mid roll he burst out "Man, don't give me that crap"

"MR. FOLEY" the chemistry teacher screeched. All eyes zeroed in on the pair, some irritated, but most amused. Tucker instantly shied, shrinking in his chair. Ms. Etaf was the only teacher he was genuinely fearful of.

Waving her chalk stick around for emphasis she warned "If I hear one more peep from you you'll be cleaning out beakers for the rest of the afternoon"

"Sorry Ma'am"

Danny almost cracked a grin at his friend's misfortune until the sudden tingling sensation of a sneeze built up. But something didn't quite seem right. He felt cold. Pinching his nose in haste to stop the sneeze he accidentally elbowed his friend's ribs surprising Tucker. He waited for the tingling to pass, curled into a ball, the best anyone could do while sitting on a stool.

"Dude what was that for?" Tucker whispered rubbing the now sore place on his ribs.

Taking a sharp sniff he began to relax. That was too close for comfort. "Sorry Tuck. I didn't mea..." Danny suddenly cut off mid sentence only to stare straight ahead like a rabbit caught in a spotlight.

"Hope you two are having a wonderful conversation"

Tucker slowly turned to face the voice taking a nervous gulp. Of course it was her.

"Detention" she calmly said much to the duo's surprise "After school. Here" She then gently placed down handout sheets between them before returning to the front of the class. "Begin" she then addressed them all.

Around the duo other groups began setting up their practical experiments. Bunsen burners and conical flasks soon began to litter the desks.

"Remind me **not** to share my Humpty Dumpty albums with you for hitting me in the ribs"

Danny retorted with a glare. "You know I didn't mean it"

"Yeah but it still hurts" Tucker picked up the handout with an eye brow raised. "You got any idea what we're doing"

"Not a clue" he shrugged. "Too busy trying not to sneeze a snowstorm"

"... I'll ask about that later. Well this is going to be an interesting prac"

* * *

Frantically scrubbing his once white shoes in the boy's restroom Tucker let loose on the accidental culprit. "You just had to drop that beaker! Man I just got these Converse. Now it looks like they've been dyed. Couldn't you have at least made it even" He waved the soaked shoes in front of Danny's apologetic eyes.

During their experiment another chilled wave had spread through the raven haired teen with unfortunate results. Much like the chair incident a day earlier his body had turned intangible. Even though it was only for the briefest of moments it was enough time in order for gravity to take over the unsupported beaker. Tuckers unlucky shoes bore the brunt of the silver nitrate solution, instantly staining them black. Now they resembled that of a Dalmatian, black blotted against white.

"I'm sorry"

Tucker returned to washing his shoes in the sink. "How many times have you said that today" he mentioned much calmer now. "You're clearly still sick and clumsy... more than usual. Why did you even come today?"

Danny's eyes narrowed. "Ignoring the clumsy comment, I guess I just... wanted things to return to normal" he said almost embarrassed.

"School is normal I suppose. Okay, I can see that. But why?" Tucker agreed though confused.

Gently rubbing his injured wrist nervously he turned away from his friend and leaned against the bathroom wall heavily. "Anything to forget" he muttered. Already he was partway there. Danny still couldn't remember anything straight after the accident.

A moment of silence fizzled between them before Tucker broke it.

"So..." He started energetically, an obvious attempt to lighten the mood. "Let's take these wet puppies away" he announced shutting off the tap.


End file.
